School uniform and stationery message is fake news, says Sassa
Sassa says the timing of this scam shows malicious intent and builds mistrust between Sassa and the public
LIMPOPO – A message doing the rounds on social media stating that Sassa offers learners free school uniforms and stationery, has been confirmed as a scam.
National Spokesperson for the The South African Social Security Agency’s (SASSA), Kgomoco Diseko confirmed on Tuesday, 14 January that this message is indeed ‘fake news’ and says the agency wishes to distance itself from it.
The message originates from a tweet from a Themba Rumbu Twitter account on January 2018. The message is now being circulated on WhatsApp and with it coinciding with the reopening of schools it has the potential of sending desperate parents to the Sassa offices instead of taking their children to school, Diseko says.
https://twitter.com/OfficialSASSA/status/1214175746710790145
“It is disturbing that some insensitive people find time to manufacture such fake news and play with the emotions of the needy. The timing itself shows malicious intent and builds mistrust between Sassa and the public.”
Deseko adds that the message is creating anxiety and confusion among social grant beneficiaries and has a negative impact on service delivery because Sassa officials now have to spend time turning away needy people who request school uniforms instead of focusing on delivering services.
Sassa beneficiaries are warned to be wary of messages on social media which sound to good to be true and to instead call 0800 60 10 11 to confirm if the message is official.
